Agatha Christie: 10 quotes on her birthday

ByElizabeth Drake, Monitor contributorSeptember 14, 2012

Bestselling crime novelist of all time, the “Queen of Crime” Agatha Christie was born on Sept. 15, 1890 in Torquay, England. Christie did not receive a formal education, but rather was educated at home. A trained singer and pianist, she was too shy to make music her career. Around the time that she met her first husband, Archie Christie, Christie published her first book, "The Mysterious Affair at Styles" (1920), which was an instant success. After an unhappy divorce, Christie traveled to the Middle East where she met her second husband, the archeologist Sir Max Edgar. She continued writing and traveling with her husband on his expeditions for the rest of their lives. Over her lifetime Christie published many short stories, screenplays, and over 66 detective novels including "The Murder of Roger Ackroyd" (1926), "Murder on the Orient Express" (1934), "The A.B.C. Murders" (1936), "Death on the Nile" (1937), and "And Then There Were None" (1939). More than four billion copies of Christie’s novels have been sold. She is the most translated author to date, with her books available in 103 languages. In 1971 Christie was given the title of Dame of the British Empire in recognition of her work.